Love's Mistake
by DreaC
Summary: Embry Call is a school teacher, who has been steadily dating the love of his life for seven years. Suddenly, his world is turned upside down when he imprints on a married woman. When the object of his affection is already spoken for, what will he do?
1. The Pull

**Summary: Embry Call is the lone wolf without an imprint. He's spent 17 years looking for the one yet he never found her. Julie Gonzalez walks into his life and he falls for her instantly, assuming imprinting would never happen for him. What will Embry do when a perfect stranger with a family becomes the one he's supposed to live for?**

**The Great SM owns everything.**

**Chapter 1: The Pull**

Embry whistled to himself as he got dressed. He couldn't remember a time when he had been happier. He was going to meet Julie for dinner. They had been dating steadily for nearly seven years. For a while he walked on egg shells during their relationship. He didn't want to get too serious and end up hurting her. He knew that she was not his imprintee. He knew that there was always the possibility that he would imprint and end up devastating her if he got in too deep. That was the reason why he had not yet popped the question that had, for years, been so adamant in his mind. He would throw caution to the wind tonight and ask the love of his life for her hand in marriage. Since imprinting had not occurred for him in the seventeen years since he had become a wolf, he didn't believe it would happen. He had spent ten years waiting, intensely staring into the eyes of every girl he met hoping to find the one that was meant for him. That girl never came, but Julie stumbled into his life instead.

She walked into his life beautiful and lost. He was walking along the beach one night in deep thought and very green with envy of the rest of his pack. He was internally cursing himself for being the lone wolf in the equation when Julie walked straight into him. The impact of plunging into his body nearly sent her flat on her back, but his quick reflexes allowed him to catch her. He was instantly struck by her beauty. Her wavy brown hair flowed in the wind as her green eyes twinkled with amusement. A smile was playing at the corners of her lips as she tried to refrain from the laughter that soon over took her.

"I'm so sorry." She continued to laugh at herself. Embry still held her in his arms, puzzled and astonished by this girl. She finally managed to stifle her giggles as she looked into the eyes of an angel. His looks were breathtaking. His dark eyes were captivating, they bore into hers with such intensity that she had to look away. "It's totally my fault. I wasn't watching where I was going. You probably think I'm insane, I've had a rough day," Julie tried to explain.

"No, no, I should have been paying more attention to my surroundings," Embry reassured her, his gaze locked with hers again.

"I'm Julie, by the way." Her smile took his breath away. He stood there stupidly gazing at her.

_C'mon, imprint already! She's beautiful! Maybe I'm not concentrating hard enough. _He frowned in frustration. _C'mon, c'mon, c'mon! Imprint! She's the one, the one you've been waiting for. How could this not be the girl? This is the girl! It has to be! Maybe I've imprinted and I don't know it. Oh no, I've seen it through the others' eyes. I'll definitely know when it happens._

"Uh, you got a name?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Embry, my name's Embry."

"Well, Embry, could you help me out? I'm lost. I was on my way to Seattle and my car stopped on the road a few miles back. I've been hoping to find someone that can help." A hopeful look crossed her face.

Embry would never disappoint a face that beautiful. "Sure, I can help. I used to help a friend rebuild cars in his garage. I can give it a look for you." _Or rebuild it if you wanted. Better yet I'd build you a car from scratch!_

Her arms went around his neck as she hugged him tight. "Thank you so much!"

_Oh sweet Jesus! _Her body was pressed tightly against his. She was soft and feminine. This perfect stranger was causing his insides to turn inside out. Before he could end up embarrassing himself, he quickly put some distance between them. He'd startled her with his quick movement. _Great, now she probably thinks I'm crazy, or that I don't like girls!_

She looked up at him puzzled. "I get carried away sometimes. I'm just happy you're going to help me."

"So where's your car?"

"About five miles up the road." She squinted into the darkness. "I left the headlights on so we'll see it when we get close."

"Um, it's pretty dark out here. You might want to take my hand so you don't trip." He held out his hand. _Smooth, Embry. As if she didn't think you were already a freak! Now she probably thinks you're a perv! _At that moment she did the most marvelous thing he could have ever imagined. She placed her hand in his and twined their fingers. With that gesture he knew that he was a goner. He may not have imprinted on her, but he had fallen more in love with her with each passing day after that.

Embry smiled at the thought of their first meeting as he finished buttoning his shirt. He knew that if he was going to do things right he had to go buy her favorite box of chocolates, that always put a smile on her face. He rushed to the grocery store, worrying that he may not make it before it closed. He searched for the candy isle and found the only box they had left. A red ball bounced toward him. He looked to where the ball had come from to find a little boy of no more than three or four years old hiding behind a tuna display.

Embry smiled holding out the ball to the little boy. "Is this yours?" The little boy nodded his head and took the ball. He looked around, frightened. "What's your name, kid?"

"Collin," he said quietly.

"Collin, where are your parents? Are you lost?" Embry kneeled down beside him.

"Yes, I chased the ball and now I can't find them." Tears were forming in Collin's eyes.

"I'm Embry; I'll help you find your parents, alright?" Collin nodded once more. "What do your parents look like?" Embry asked as they headed toward the fruit isle.

"Mommy is the prettiest woman in the world," he said proudly. "And my daddy is a super hero. He saves people."

Embry laughed. "You're a lucky kid." They walked up three more isles before heading toward the register. He figured that they would make better progress if they announced over the intercom that he'd found a lost little boy.

As soon as they arrived at the front desk, Collin ran in the direction of a woman and man with their backs to them. "Mommy, mommy!" Collin exclaimed. "Look, look! I made a new friend! Embry helped me find you!" He jumped up and down with excitement. The woman turned and picked Collin up as she and her husband hugged him tight. The love their family shared was evident.

Collin's mom finally looked to where Embry stood. She put Collin down and walked toward him. "You must be Embry. Thanks so much for bringing him to us." She gave him a warm smile.

Embry felt an inexplicable pull toward this woman that he didn't know. He wanted to know everything about her. He wanted to take her in his arms and tell her that he'd do anything to make her happy. Her pull on him was so strong that it was almost tangible.

_No, no, no, no, no! __This can't be happening! She can't be the one! She has a family! A son! She has a husband! I have Julie. I have seven years with her. This can't be right. There must be some mistake. I've got to get out of here. Never see her again, maybe I'll forget about her. _

"Yeah, it was no problem." He looked down at his shoes as he spoke to her. "Well I've got to get going. Bye, kid, no more running away from your parents, okay? It scares your mother." _Damn, now I suddenly care if he scares his mother? _

"Bye, Embry," Collin said.

"Thank you," his mother whispered.

"Thanks again," his father patted Embry on the shoulder.

Embry nearly ran out of the store. He went straight home to get his head together before he had to meet Julie for their date. He paced back and forth trying to convince himself that this would change nothing. He held out hope that his love for Julie would be stronger than imprinting. He believed that in time he would forget the kid's mother, and he would never see her again. The thought ripped at his insides. He was already in too deep and, even though he wouldn't acknowledge it, he would not be able to claw his way out.


	2. The Dinner

**I own nothing and SM own it all.**

**Chapter 2: The dinner**

Instead of going straight to the restaurant, Embry went back home. He paced back and forth as the weight of the ring in his pocket seemed grow. That ring represented the make it or break decision he was about to make. He walked to and from the door constantly pulling out the ring and putting it back.

_How am I supposed to do this? How do I put this ring on her finger and pretend that she has my heart?_

He opened the box, looking at the ring that he knew Julie would love. He could imagine her smile, but her smiling face was insignificant now. That fact alone made him close the ring box and sit it on the table. Embry wanted so badly to go and find the woman from the grocery store instead.

_What would you say to her, Embry? Hi, I love you; can you leave your family and run away with me? I don't know your name, but you are my soul mate. _

Realizing how ridiculous he sounded, he picked up the ring, opened the box once more, and walked out the door.

***

_Get it together, Embry, for Julie. You love her! You're about to ask her to marry you. Don't throw it all away on some woman that's already claimed. _

Embry sat in his car in front of the restaurant giving himself a pep talk. He sat looking out at the pale pink door of Julie's favorite restaurant when she visited Seattle, The Pink Door. He knew that she would be inside waiting for him. He had lucked up and gotten them a table on the deck, where they had an amazing view of the Elliot Bay. This was the perfect night to pop the question.

He noticed her instantly as he arrived on the deck. She had put her hair up with two wavy tendrils on each side of her face. She was wearing a very elegant red dress that clung to her every curve. She smiled as she waited for Embry to join her. Embry's answering smile wasn't as easy. The attraction he felt for her for years had suddenly diminished. Though she was still pretty, she didn't compare to the woman that he had seen earlier today in the grocery store. _Now I'm comparing her to a woman whose name I don't know! _He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and sat opposite of her.

"I can't believe you got a table on the deck. It's beautiful!" She looked out at the ferries twinkling in the bay, as the stars shined bright in the sky. She couldn't imagine anything more romantic than that.

"I knew you'd like it," he replied, not meeting her eyes. Something was unsettling about him being here, but he kept telling himself that this was the place that he should be.

"I can't believe you tore yourself away from the kids to come here tonight. Sometimes I think that you love them more than me," she joked.

Embry loved kids; it was the reason he become an elementary school teacher on the reservation. He tried the big city life after college and after only a year he yearned for his home in La Push. During the week he taught, and on the weekends he read, talked to, and played with terminally ill children in hopes that he was keeping their spirits high during such a bad time. In his life, his students and the kids at the hospital came first; everything else was second. His love for kids was what drew him to Collin and helping him find his mother.

_Even as I'm on a date, and about to ask my girlfriend to marry me, I can't get her off my mind! Embry get it together. You left without learning her name for a reason. You didn't want to ever see her again. You knew you would never be able to find her if you didn't know her name, and you promised yourself you wouldn't look for her._

Julie's smile faded as she waved her hand in front of Embry's face. "Hello, earth to Embry."

He shifted in his seat and half smiled. "I'm sorry, what were you saying?"

She rolled her eyes. She was so sure that tonight he was going to propose. After seven years together they had reached a point where they were either going to end things or commit. From Embry's lack of interest she guessed that maybe she was wrong. Maybe he had brought her here to break up with her.

"Nothing. I said nothing at all." She'd decided that she would just bide her time quietly until he worked up the nerve to end it.

"So how was your day?" he asked.

_Forced conversation? Oh yea this is definitely the end._ She and Embry didn't have a very tense and angst filled relationship. It was always light and easy. He always had a smile upon his face and he was always good humored, the comic relief when she had a stress filled day. Not tonight though. There was nothing easy going about him. His shoulders were tense, his eyes were tight and weren't meeting hers, and his fingers were clenching and unclenching, as if he was trying to make a decision.

"My day was fine. I stitched up a few patients. I gave some lollipops before administering some shots, the usual," she replied.

There wasn't much excitement in the pediatrician's office today, especially not for the nurses, but she loved being a nurse and being able to help people. That was one of the main reasons she and Embry fit so well together. They both loved kids and they both wanted to help them in some way.

An awkward silence followed, and after a few minutes Embry cleared his throat and ran his fingers through his hair. A few seconds later, a trio of violinists appeared at their table. Julie looked across the table at Embry, who seemed to be gauging her reaction. _This seems like a lot of effort for someone that's going to break up with me_, she thought. The violinists started to play her favorite song, _I'll Be_ by Edwin McCain.

Embry gazed at the woman he was about to propose to and he saw her eyes twinkling as a smile brightened her face. For one moment Embry was frozen. After this, there would be no going back. This woman loved him, and he would try his hardest to love her back, no matter what Quileute legends declared. He slowly got down on one knee, and he took Julie's hand in his.

"We've been through so much together. I've often taken you for granted, assuming that you would always be there no matter what, and you always were. Seven years together and we can honestly say that we're not making a ….," he paused.

He didn't know whether he could say that he wasn't making a mistake. His mind was telling him that it was the right thing to do, but deep down in his soul he knew that it wasn't the right choice. He knew that the woman that complimented his soul wasn't in this room tonight.

He cleared his throat to continue. "We're not making a…a mistake. I've grown to love you more each day since you stumbled into my life. Your breathtaking beauty and your wit and charm have kept me enchanted with each passing day. And now I'm here in front you on bended knee, and I'm asking you, Juliana Marie Gonzalez, to be my wife. Will you marry me?" The words didn't come out as flowing and heartfelt; they instead were mechanical and practiced. They seemed to lack luster and it didn't go unnoticed by Julie.

Pausing momentarily to take the whole night in, she didn't quite understand the vibe that Embry was giving off. _Maybe the nervousness of taking such a big step in his life is getting to him. I don't know what it is with guys and marriage. You would think we are sentencing them to death or something._

Despite the feeling in her gut that screamed "something is horribly wrong", Julie smiled and said, "Yes. Yes, of course I'll marry you."

She pushed all the doubts and fears to the back of her mind. He placed the ring on her finger and asked her to dance. As they were twirling around the dance floor, she whispered, "What took you so long?"

"I just wanted to make sure I was ready. I didn't want to risk asking you to marry me if I wasn't sure you were the one. How fair would that have been to you?" he spoke honestly. "But rest assured that now I know that you are the one for me."

As he spoke the words he knew that they were lies. He knew the one for him resided somewhere within the state of Washington, but for her sake and his, he would keep up the façade of loving Julie and trying to forget the beautiful woman from the grocery store.

**A/n: Thanks so much for reading please review and let me know what you think :)**


	3. The Charity Ball

**First I'd like to give a big thanks to my Beta Andrea. She is awesome!!!! **

**I own Lily, Daniel, and Julie, but SM owns the wonderful and sexy Embry :( And all things Twilight related.**

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Chapter 3: The Charity Ball

It had been three weeks since he had proposed to Julie and he'd managed to only think about the woman from the grocery store once a day. Such times when he allowed himself to think of her, he experienced a longing to know who she was. He wanted to know about her life, if she was happy, what made her smile, and what she did for a living. He went back over in his head the day they met and each time he visualized what the outcome would be if he hadn't run out. Embry always decided that he did what was best because trying to take a married woman from her family wasn't a good thing. He spent more time with Julie, trying to make her happy, trying to give her the attention that he longed to give Collin's mother.

Julie had been on pins and needles for weeks about the Forks Hospital's first Charity Ball; it was a black and white ball. They had invited all the local doctor's offices around the town to come as well. Everyone was excited to meet the newest doctor in town. He was making his first appearance at the ball. Julie had to beg Embry to go, even though he got an invite as well, since he practically lived at that hospital in his free time. He really didn't like black tie affairs. After Julie had shown off her engagement ring to all of the nurses and doctors there, she wanted nothing more than to be among friends with Embry by her side. Embry on the other hand was dreading this night. He had a gut feeling that something would go wrong tonight. He couldn't shake the feeling.

He dressed in an all white tux, deciding that if he was going to this stuffy event he may as well do it well. He went to pick up Julie. When she opened the door, she nearly took his breath away for the first time in months. She was wearing a black dress with off the shoulder sleeves on both sides that brought attention to the black ribbon crisscrossing down her right arm. She wore a non symmetrical dark grey corset on top of the dress that revealed her hourglass frame, as the bottom of her dress, containing many different layers, gave her modern style a classical edge. Her hair was wavy and flowing down her back. Her green eyes were twinkling with excitement and her red lips curved into a smile as she took in Embry's ensemble.

Embry wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. "Are you sure you want to go to this ball? We could have a lot more fun here." He bent to kiss her neck. His attraction to her was purely physical now, but he was willing to give her what ever he could offer.

She giggled and swatted him away. "It's for a good cause. Let's go before you manage to get me out of this she dress."

"Well, the dress could stay on if you'd like." He smiled.

"Who are you, and what have you done with my fiancé?" She shook her head.

He grabbed her hand and kissed it. "You don't like it?" He pulled her to him and kissed her with all the passion he could muster as his hands gripped her bottom.

When she recovered from this new more physical Embry, she said, "You would do anything so that you wouldn't have to go this event, wouldn't you? Even stoop as low as seducing me! Embry Call that is low." She laughed.

He lowered his head to whisper seductively in her ear. "Juliana Gonzalez, I was not trying to seduce you to get out of this event. I was trying to seduce you to get you out of that dress."

His voice sent a shiver down her spine. He started to work on her neck again as his hands squeezed her behind. "Embry…Embry…Embry," she breathed, instead of being firm in her words like she had planed. This man was making her weak in the knees.

Somehow she got her bearings and said, "Embry we need to go. I spent too much money on this dress, so we're going."

He scowled at her in defeat. "Fine, but tonight…"

"Oh tonight, I'm all yours." She grinned as she untangled herself from him.

They arrived at the ball and just as Embry had thought, it was stuffy and crowded. There were so many people attending the ball, and he knew most of them from the hospital. Everywhere they turned there was buzz about the newest doctor and his wife. He had heard so much about the man that he was even excited to meet him. There were whispers that he was "the best doctor since Doctor Cullen had left town". He had trouble believing that, seeing as he knew that Dr. C was the best there would ever be.

"Better than Dr. C?" Embry raised an eyebrow at Julie. "That's something I doubt, Jules."

"I'm just saying, maybe he's on the same level. He's supposed to be something special from what I hear. He's no looker like Dr. Cullen, but he's just as talented."

At that moment two very familiar people walked into the room. Embry recognized them instantly-Collin's parents. The man was tall with dark hair. He looked young, maybe in his thirties. He was wearing a black tuxedo and a confident smile.

It was in that moment that Embry laid his eyes on her once again. She was petite, very feminine. Her smile was light; her hair was short and loosely curled, framing her heart shaped face. She was wearing a simple, yet elegant, white one-shoulder gown. She was not just beautiful, she was also angelic; she reminded him of a Greek goddess. Everything about her screamed pure and serene. Embry was instantly entranced. When she caught his eye, Embry could not look away. He continued to stare, fighting the urge to go to her. She smiled and waved to him. That sent his heart into erratic flutters. All he could manage was a nod.

As her husband released her hand to shake hands and mingle with other guests, she made her way toward Embry's table.

"It's so good to see a familiar face," she said once she reached him. "Embry, right?"

Before Embry could answer Julie made her presence known. "I wasn't aware that you knew the new doctor and his wife, Embry."

"I don't actually. We met in the grocery store a few weeks ago." He kept looking at the angel in front of him rather than at Julie.

"Embry helped us find our son." She smiled and out stretched her hand to Julie. "I'm Lily Richardson."

"It's nice to meet you, Lily. I'm Julie Gonzalez." Julie shook her hand.

All the while Embry said nothing. He was rooted where he stood staring at Lily. _Lily. What are the odds that she would be here? The woman that I've been trying to avoid is here and married to the head doctor at the hospital. The very hospital that I devote most of my free time to. Would I run into her there? Of course not! Stop looking forward to running into a woman that you can't have! Are you insane? Get it out of your mind now. She's married, and you have Julie. Look at Julie! Not Lily! Stop staring at her. You love Julie; she's the one, the only one. _This had become Embry's new mantra.

"Collin hasn't stopped talking about you." She turned back to Embry, looking at him with deep blue eyes. Embry felt that he was drowning in the sea as he gazed into them.

_Those eyes, so full of innocence and love. I'm falling for this beautiful stranger. _

He was only catching bits and pieces of her conversation in his entranced state. _"_Yes, Daniel thought that it would be good if Collin went to school in Forks. The city wasn't the place for us. I hated it and so did Collin. Daniel had no problem with the city though. He's from New York so he's used to it." _There's no doubt that she's been sent from above. I'm falling for this beautiful stranger. _

"Embry are you okay?" Julie was talking to him. "You haven't said a word and you don't look so well."

He realized that both women had ended their conversation and were now staring at him. "I'm fine. I just have a lot on my mind is all."

Before either of the women could reply, Daniel was by Lily's side. He wrapped his arm around her small waist and Embry fought back the urge to growl at him. "Lily, I see you've found a familiar face after all." He looked to Embry. "Emmett, right?"

"Embry," he corrected Daniel. Daniel outstretched his hand and Embry reluctantly shook it.

"Who is this young lady?" He turned toward Julie.

"I'm Julie, Embry's fiancée." He shook her hand as well.

"Embry, would you mind if I took this little lady for a spin on the dance floor?" Daniel asked.

"Sure, go ahead," he said a little too eagerly, and this didn't go unnoticed by Julie. She shot him a quizzical look.

Daniel paused to ask his wife's approval. Before he could say anything she smiled and said, "Go ahead. We need to make friends. I'll stay here and keep Embry company."

Daniel whisked Julie away to dance as Embry stood in awkward silence with Lily. "So, Embry, do you dance?" she asked, swaying to the tune of _Here Without You_ by Three Doors Down.

"Would you like to dance, Lily?" He took her hand and kissed it; she blushed.

They didn't go out on the dance floor with the others. They stayed close to the back near Embry and Julie's table. He placed his hand on the small of her back as he took her right hand in his, and they began to sway with the music. They were silent for a while. Embry was marveling in her beauty and her delicate touch. She was poised and graceful with a smile that never left her lips as they glided in small circles around the table.

"You're a really good dancer," Embry commented lamely.

"You're a good leader, I'm just following suit."

"Tell me about yourself, Lily."

"Well, I'm a stay at home mom, but I volunteer regularly at the hospital. I spend most of my time with the elderly and terminally ill children. I want to make their time as pleasant as possible. My son is my life; he is a gift from above."

_So are you, _Embry wanted to say. Instead he said, "Beautiful on the inside as well as the outside."

She looked up at him and laughed. That laugh was music to Embry's ears.

"What do you do besides being breathtakingly charming?"

_She is flirting with me too! Embry get a grip! She's married. She's just being friendly. Friendly with eyes like that and a smile that shines for miles is danger. She's danger. I could end up doing something stupid with the reactions she's giving to my attempts at flirting with her. _

"I'm an elementary school teacher, and I volunteer at the hospital. I spend time with terminally ill kids." He smiled when her mouth opened in shock.

"You do? Wow, that's amazing. "

"I love kids, and I'm willing to do anything I can to help."

"Beautiful on the inside and out." Embry chuckled softly at her statement.

As their conversation progressed, they got closer as they danced, closing the gap that was present when they started. Their bodies were touching now. Embry realized that her body was pressed against his and he held her securely so that that wouldn't change. He wondered what their embrace must look like to everyone around them. He felt comfortable with her, and being close to her seemed necessary. She appeared to feel the same way. She couldn't explain why but she felt that she had known him her whole life. His arms felt like comfort. At one point their eyes locked and for an immeasurable amount of time neither of them looked away. Her eyes spoke volumes to Embry. They were the window to her soul. He released his hold on her only so that he could spin her and bring her back close to him. She smiled seeming lost in their dance as if she hadn't had this much fun in years. As the song was closing Embry dipped her, bringing his face inches from hers. He wanted so badly to kiss her, but he couldn't allow himself to do it.

_Too many lives would be ruined if I risked one kiss,_ he thought as he brought her back up and put a little bit of space in between them.

"Embry, how long have you been with Julie?" she asked, feeling the need to fill the silence and distract from the unspoken chemistry they seemed to have.

"Seven years," he replied, thankful for the distraction.

She felt an inexplicable pang of disappointment, hoping that their relationship was new and destructible.

_Why do I care how long they've been together? It's none of my business. I'm happily married to Daniel. _"You have a beautiful fiancée, and I wish you two the best." Thinking back to how elaborately she was dressed, she added, "She certainly makes a statement, doesn't she? That dress was…wow. I couldn't have possibly pulled that off."

"You wouldn't have to," Embry whispered.

"Did you say something?" _Did he say what I think he said? Or am I imagining things?_

"Jules certainly is an individual." Embry changed the subject. "How long have you and Daniel been married?"

"We've been married for nine years. We've known each other for eleven years. We met in college."

Before their conversation could continue, Julie and Daniel were back. "Mind if I cut in?" Daniel asked.

Embry nodded his head and walked toward Julie. When he reached her she wrapped her arms around his neck, pressed herself close to him and kissed him. "I missed you."

Embry wrapped his arms around her waist, and started swaying to the music. Desperate to want her instead of Lily he deepened their kiss, plunging his tongue into her mouth, desperately hoping that with this kiss his feelings for her would return. When they broke away to catch their breath he began to nip at her neck, needing their chemistry to emerge front and center.

"Embry, we're in public," Julie warned, breaking him from his desperation.

"You want to get out of here?"

She smiled. "Sure, but let's say goodbye to the Richardson's before we go."

As they walked up, the Richardson's were lovingly embraced. It took everything in Embry's power to control the anger at himself for wanting something that wasn't his.

"We're on our way out and we wanted to come and say goodbye," Julie said.

They broke free of their embrace, and Lily hugged Julie. Embry shook Daniel's hand and then they switched.

Lily leaned in and hugged Embry. "It was nice seeing you again. Maybe I'll see you around the hospital sometime."

"You too, Lily."

Embry felt more pain than he had before as he turned his back and walked away. He felt as if a necessary part of himself had been ripped away. Every part of his body screamed for her and he wanted nothing more than to go back and claim her, but he couldn't. Lily wasn't his to claim. He was going to have to get himself together before the drive home with Julie. She would know something was wrong. He kissed her on the cheek and excused himself to the bathroom. There he paced back and forth.

_You have no right to feel this way! No right! She wasn't yours to begin with. You set yourself up for this with that dance. Leaving her again is best. You have to go home with Julie, you have to love Julie. You have to make her happy. She's the only one for you, she's who you need. Not Lily, never Lily._ As he chanted this, he knew it was wrong. He knew deep down that Lily was the missing puzzle piece. She was the one that he should have been going home with. Yet life dealt him the wrong card. He was going home with Julie, and he had to make the best of the life he was given.

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**Thank you so much for reading! Hitting th review button would mean so much to me :) Let me know if you like Lily and Embry's encounter, or what you thought.**


	4. Forgetting

**A/N: I'm a little nervous about this chapter. It's my very first "lemon" and I've been so nervous about posting this one.**

**My beta Andrea is amazing, without her my story would be full of grammatical errors.**

**Also, I own nothing and SMowns all things Twilight and she also owns Embry, though she could share if she really wanted to :(**

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Chapter 4: Forgetting

Embry and Julie drove home in silence. Embry was concentrating very hard on the road. His thoughts were centered on the lines separating the traffic. His efforts were wasted when the white lines reminded him of Lily's dress. He then began to marvel at her simple beauty, her blue eyes, and her small, full lips. He could still feel her body against his when they danced. He could still feel her breath caress his ear as she whispered her goodbye. It was an innocent gesture, yet it drove him mad with need for her.

He was brought back to the present with a touch that was not Lily's. Julie grabbed his hand and intertwined their fingers. _Would I always think of her as not Lily now? Would her touch always be just not enough? _

His thoughts were cut short as he pulled into her driveway. He got out of the car and opened her door for her. As she stood, she grabbed him and pulled him into a kiss. With each small kiss they shared, Lily came back to his mind. Embry circled Julie's lips with his tongue, begging for entrance, and she obliged. He pinned her between his body and the car as their tongues danced together. When they broke away to catch their breath, Embry would assault her neck with nibbles and kisses. He just wanted any way that he could to take his mind off of Lily.

"Embry…Embry, chill for a minute. Let's get into the house first," she finally interrupted his frantic assault on her neck. She didn't know what had gotten into him but she feared it and liked all at the same time.

"Lead the way, Li…love," he corrected himself quickly. Embry silently thanked Edward Cullen for always calling Bella "Love". He didn't know if he would have been able to cover it up so quickly if not for remembering that.

She smiled and started walking, but he stopped her and wrapped his arms around her, beginning to kiss her neck as they walked toward the door. Before they could enter the house, Embry was already undoing her corset. The tip of his tongue slid up her neck, causing her to shiver. He thought of how great it would be if he were taking Lily's dress off instead of Julie's. Embry started to undress her even more feverishly to try to get Lily out of his head.

_I will only think of Julie, because I can't have Lily. She is a hidden treasure that is impossible to obtain._ _A treasure she is and perfect in every way. Her hair the perfect shade of light brown, her small frame and curves, her lips, her eyes, everything about her had my pants tightening from my erection. _

Before Embry realized what he was doing, he ripped Julie's dress off. Shock registered on Julie's face, she didn't know who this man was standing in front of her. She knew that something about him had changed. He was so patient and loving before. Every touch was soft, but now there was anger and hunger in his eyes. She stood vulnerable and waiting in nothing but her bra and panties. Embry lifted her as his lips crashed into hers again, and the remains of her dress slid to the ground. She began to slide his jacket down his arms and tear at his shirt, trying to get it off. After trying to unbutton a few buttons, she grew impatient and ripped his shirt open and buttons clattered noisily to the ground. Neither of them noticed. She wrapped her legs around his waist, and he bit down on her bottom lip and began walking into the house. Embry kicked the door closed with his foot. She reached back to unhook her bra, but Embry hooked his finger in the front of it and with a tug it was broken and sliding down her arms. His hands traveled down to her hips fingering the string of her panties. She tried to salvage the only piece of clothing she was left wearing by sliding down to the floor to take them off, but as soon as the tips of her toes touched the floor she realized that Embry had already ripped those to shreds too. She began to quickly unbutton his pants and slide her hand into his boxers. Embry let out a growl when her hand wrapped around him. He had a fierce need to be inside of her. Before Julie had time to register what happened, she felt her back touching the cool floor and Embry on top of her. His eyes burned into hers with a frantic desperation. She didn't understand why he needed her so badly in this moment, but all she wanted to do was give him what ever he wanted. Embry entered her fast and filled her completely. His thrusts came fast and hard. She cried out over and over from this painful pleasure of this rough love making. Embry transferred all of his pain, all of his heart ache, and longing into this.

Embry soon felt a different kind of pain; this pain took his mind off of being without Lily. The second he felt Julie's fingernails digging deep into his back, the pain was transferred. He was no longer feeling the emotional pain of being without Lily; he was feeling physical pain that momentarily erased everything else. He could tell that Julie was close to her release, as was he. He and Julie came together and as both their bodies stilled he rolled onto his back and winced as the cold floor touched the raw places that Julie had dug into his back. He didn't worry too much about it though because he knew that what damage she had done would heal within a few minutes time.

They were both breathing heavily still, neither saying a word as they looked up at the ceiling. Julie lay limply unsure if she could even move if she tried. She had never experienced anything like that since she had been with Embry. It was like he was an animal that took her hungrily, and all she could do was hold on tightly for the ride.

She turned her head to look at him, and he seemed a million miles away in thought. A shaky finger caressed his face. He slowly turned his head to look at her, and he instantly regretted doing so. He could see the hint of fear in her eyes. He had scared her with his rash, rough, desperation. Embry felt so guilty for frightening her while he was on his quest to forget. He wouldn't let himself think of what exactly he was trying to forget or all efforts would be lost. He smiled at her to ease her fears, but her eyes still showed that fear of him. Embry did care for her, as much he would care for any person, and he didn't want her to be frightened of him. He at least wanted to show her that much compassion, so he drew her into his arms and placed a kiss on her forehead. She placed a kiss on his shoulder and laid her head there. They were silent. Embry would not break this silence; Julie would have to be the one to do it. He would not make anymore rash moves that would scare her.

After a few minutes, she finally spoke, "Embry, my dress is outside, or what's left of it is."

More guilt weighed on him as he realized that he had completely torn up her dress and underwear. He stroked her hair and said, "I'm sorry about your dress. You want me to go get it now?"

"No, just lay here with me a little while longer, please?"

They lay there like that for a couple more minutes before Julie sighed and began to get up. They showered, and then Embry collected the remains of Julie's dress and his shirt and jacket from the porch. When he came back in with the large scraps of material that used to resemble a dress, a corset, a button less shirt and a jacket, Julie burst into laughter. Embry couldn't fight it, he began to laugh too. This was the first time in weeks that he had laughed. Forgetting had allowed him to live again, and he would continue to forget for as long as he could.

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**I'm so sorry that it's a shorter chapter, there are longer ones to come :) I really hope you enjoyed it. Let me know what you think of my first "lemon" ever. Next chapter we switch gears, and we take a look at the Lily's life and how the dance at the ball affected her.**


	5. The Richardsons

**This is a shorter chapter that is setting up the chapter to come next. I'd like to say that my beta Andrea is amazing! Without her there would be plenty of comma mistakes along the way.**

**Chapter 5: The Richardsons**

**Lily's POV**

After the charity ball, Daniel and Lily made their way home. They bid the baby sitter goodnight and tucked their son into bed. Daniel read him a story while Lily got a shower. As the warm water splattered down on her, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the relaxing feeling of a hot shower. A smiled spread across her lips when she thought of the event just hours ago. She began humming the tune that she and Embry had danced to. Giggling to herself and swaying to the music playing in her head, she remembered how much fun she'd had with Embry. She felt so young and free, like she was back in high school and flirting with a guy she'd had a crush on, but she knew that she didn't have a crush on Embry. Married women didn't crush on anyone.

Lily tossed the thought to the back of her mind as she got out of the shower, got dressed in her pajamas and went to join the rest of her family in Collin's room. She found Daniel finishing up his story and Collin still wound up, not asleep or even appearing the least bit sleepy. She smiled as she stood in the door way gazing at her two best boys, as she often referred to them. They had their heads together now, Collin grinning uncontrollably and Daniel smiling conspiratorially, and she knew they were up to something.

She walked over and sat on Collin's bed beside Daniel. He looked up and smiled, grabbing her hand and giving it a squeeze.

"What are you two up to?" Lily asked, looking from one to the other.

Daniel winked at Collin, and before Lily could register what happened, they jumped on her yelling "tickle attack" and began tickling her without letting up. She finally got some leverage and was able to turn the tables as she tickled Collin.

He finally yelled, "I surrender."

"Champion of tickle attack once again," Lily boasted, winking at him with a smile.

Daniel patted Collin on the top of the head. "We tried, son, we tried. But I guess we can't out smart the champ." He leaned over to place a kiss on Lily's lips and she smiled.

"Mama, did you have fun tonight?" Collin asked.

Lily was taken aback by the question. At only the age of four, he worried about his mother's well being. Lily loved how protective of her Collin was. He always noticed little things about her and tried to make it better. She remembered when she and Daniel got into a very heated fight, though Collin never heard a word of their argument and knew nothing about it, he noticed the sadness in her eyes. He crawled into her lap, hugged himself close to her and sang the song _Smile_ by Charlie Chaplin. It was a song that she always sang to him when he was sad or cried.

She smiled brightly at her beautiful boy and answered, "Yes, sweetie, I had a lot of fun."

His eyes lit up and she knew the question he was about to ask next. "Did you see Embry? Daddy said you might see Embry!"

"Yes, Embry was there." She didn't know how he had gotten attached to Embry. He'd been asking about Embry everyday since the day they'd met in the grocery store. "You might get to see him soon. He volunteers at the hospital all the time. When I go, I will bring you too, just so you can say hi, okay."

He smiled wide and nodded his head.

"Okay, buddy, time to go to sleep now," Daniel said, tucking him in once more.

Lily kissed him on the cheek and whispered, "Mama loves you, always remember that."

He lifted his small hand to her cheek and gently pulled her face down to his. He placed a kiss on the cheek his hand wasn't occupying, looked into her eyes, and said, "Mama, I love you too, always remember that."

Lily smiled down at her son; their nightly goodnight exchange was always the same. The love she felt for him filled her heart to its capacity. She turned out the light and made her way to her and Daniel's room. Daniel was in the shower, so she decided to get into bed. Sleep soon whisked her away from consciousness and dreams overtook her.

Her dreams were filled with Embry, and she wished silently that they were a reality. Her dreams weren't hot and heavy and they weren't dirty fantasies; they were just of her and Embry slow dancing and talking. She could dance with him for hours, talk to him for days.

When Daniel came back into the room and woke her, she realized that she wanted to know Embry, see him in action with the kids at the hospital, hang out with him and recreate that feeling of easy going happiness that she had felt when they danced. Lily also realized that Collin wasn't the only person obsessed with Embry. She was too…if not more.

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**I know it was short but I promise the next few chapters make up for that. I want to hear what you think about Lily, now that you know a little bit more about her and her family. She's not leaving us soon though, the next chapter will be in her POV as well. Thanks for reading, let me know what you think :) **


	6. Tragedy

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything twilight related. SM owns it all.**

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**Chapter 6: Tragedy**

In the weeks that followed, Lily found herself wishing to see Embry at the hospital. She was hopeful everyday that she would get to experience that same carefree happiness she felt in his presence. She looked for him before spending time with the kids, after spending time with the elderly, and before leaving the hospital for the night. Each day she experienced a bit of disappointment when he never showed. She would bring Collin with her sometimes, in hopes that he would get to see him as well, but in the end both their faces revealed the disappointment their hearts felt.

_It's really silly to feel this way about someone I don't know. I can't possibly miss a man I never had. Where are these feelings coming from? Maybe I'm just desperate for friendship. That's what it is, it has to be. I need a friend. I miss having friends, knowing people, and hanging out. Embry just seems fun and I need friends. That's what it is! That's all it could be. I'm just lonely while Daniel works his long shifts at the hospital._ She thought on her way to the hospital for another visit to the children. She had left Collin with the sitter this time.

She arrived with the same renewed hope that she'd had every day that Embry would be there, but she didn't see him. She greeted the receptionist, Arianna, as she did upon arrival everyday.

"Good evening, Ari. How are you?" Lily asked.

"I'm good, Lil, how 'bout yourself?" She smiled politely.

"Pretty good," Lily replied. She began to walk toward children's wing of the hospital, then she turned back around. She figured that she could ask Ari about Embry.

"You forget something, Lil?" Ari asked.

"No…actually, I wanted to ask you something. Do you know Embry?" She didn't know his last name.

_Funny that I'm missing a guy and I don't even know his last name. Pitiful, Lily, pitiful._

"Embry Call?" Ari's face began to brighten at the sheer mention of his name. Lily nodded. "He's a really amazing guy. He devotes so much time to these kids, and he's always nice."

"He mentioned to me at the ball that he volunteers here, but I haven't seen him around," Lily said, trying not to sound too interested in the details.

"He hasn't been around in a few weeks. I haven't seen him around town either. That's very odd for Embry; he's never missed a day of seeing those kids." Her brows furrowed like she was worried.

Lily's mind instantly went into a panic. _Is he hurt? Is he sick? _She played many scenarios through her head at the reason Embry was not showing up at the hospital anymore.

"Have you tried to call him?" Lily asked in a whisper.

"I have, I've been worried about him too, but he hasn't answered any of the calls or the messages I've left. After a while, I stopped calling, not wanting to be a bother if he just changed his mind about volunteering."

"Do you…do you have his address? I can swing by there after I make my rounds and see if he's okay." Her heart was beating fast, and she couldn't explain exactly why she worried so for this man.

"Of course, hun, that would put all our minds at ease." She scribbled his address on a piece of paper and handed it to her.

"Thanks, I better go on and make my rounds now."

She visited all the kids in the hospital, reading to them, talking to them, and playing with them. She arrived at the last room, which was occupied by an eight year old boy named Riley. He was her favorite child to visit. His heart was so pure and he understood so much. He cared for others more than he cared for himself, and he reminded her of Collin in this way. The last time she visited, he wasn't doing so well and upon entering she could see that he had gotten worse. There were tubes everywhere, all for different purposes. The only thing that he was doing on his own was breathing…barely.

The sight of him broke her heart. She took in his fragile form laying there with his eyes closed, resting. He was so pale, his eyes bore dark circles, and all she wanted to do was pull him into her arms and tell him that everything was going to be alright, though she knew that it wasn't. Daniel had told her that he didn't have much longer. She watched his chest slightly rise and fall, and she listened to his shallow and uneven breathing.

She took his small hand in hers and he opened his eyes to look at her. A weak smile spread across his lips.

"Hi, Riles." She smiled back at him.

"Hi," he said in a hoarse voice, wincing like it hurt him to talk. That broke Lily's heart even more. This was not her Riley; her joyful, lively Riley was not here.

"Your Mom gone to get a little rest?"

He nodded his head once. The motion was so small that if she wasn't paying close attention she would have missed it. He was in his last stretch of life and she didn't want to spend it crying; she wanted to make him smile like he used to.

"What do you want to do tonight? Do you want to hear a story?" He shook his head no. "Do you want me to sing to you again?" The smile crept back to his face as he gave a small nod of confirmation.

She smiled as she remembered the many songs they would sing together each night when he was in better health. She began to sing _Smile_, more for her benefit than his, because she couldn't help the tears that were spilling over. Riley closed his eyes as she sang, and she could barely get through the song as sobs threatened to overtake her. She loved Riley like he was her own son. Midway through the song, his grip of her hand slackened and his shallow breathing had ceased - he was flat lining.

She ran out into the hall screaming for someone to help her. Nurses came running in followed by Dr. Reynolds.

"You have to help him!" she screamed as they worked over him. "He can't be gone, please, just save him. Please, God, save him!" she cried out.

One of the nurses led her out into the hall. "We're doing the best we can."

Lily slumped against the wall sobbing as the nurse returned to Riley's room. Ari saw her and ran over.

"Lily, what is it? What's the matter?"

"It's Riley, he's….he might be…they have to save him."

Ari immediately understood. She took Lily into her arms, hugging her. "They are going to try their hardest."

Lily couldn't find any words to reply. She just sobbed on Ari's shoulder. She felt Ari leading her to a chair where she sat down, and she heard Ari saying that she was going to page Daniel and call Riley's parents, but none of it registered in her mind. Her heart was slowly shattering with every second that passed.

Ari came back to notify her that Daniel was in surgery and would not be available for a couple of hours. She sat with Lily, holding her hand and comforting her.

"There's still a chance, right? He can still make it," Lily asked with a glimmer of hope that she always held onto in any situation.

Before Ari could answer, the doctor and nurses gathered in the hall and their eyes showed what they didn't have to say. Riley was gone. Lily fell to her knees, crippled by the grief of that young boy losing his life. Her cries were turned into screams; she had lost all composure and hope. For a time, she had forgotten where she was. All she knew was that the wonderful little boy that she grew to love had smiled his last smile and took his last breath. His bright and cheerful laugh would go unheard forever more. She felt like she was dying inside with him.

After a few minutes, she regained some control of her limbs and stood. She began to run from the hospital with only one destination on her mind. She knew that there was only one place she could go that would ease the pain, and with tear filled eyes, she made her way to Embry's house.

She shut off her car as she pulled into the driveway, got out and walked to the door. Her chest was heaving as she tried to catch her breath, feeling weighed down by the grief and sorrow that she felt. She picked up her hand, knocked on the door, and waited as rain poured down on her.

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**A/n: I have to say that I'm so sorry for how long it has taken me to update this, but computer problems happened and it deleted everything. I was contemplating finishing this story. I'm still not sure if I want to or not. This is the last of the chapters that didn't get deleted.**

**I hope you enjoyed it. I'd love to hear your thoughts.**


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